The issue of rehabilitation and integration into society, including psycho-social therapy, so that they can integrate and fit well into the society should be provided for in this Bill.
I would like to applaud the Government for the launch of 2016-2026 STEM Policy that is coming soon because it is going to support Zimbabwe’s quest for industrialisation and modernisation. Most countries with good economies put emphasis on science and support science subjects. It is my hope that the STEM Policy will have affirmative action clauses to promote girls to enter into the field of Science.
Regional Town and Country Planning Bill – The Bill seeks to encourage investors to put up infrastructure in a short space of time without delays of waiting for plans to be approved. We all know that infrastructure is the cornerstone of development.
The Public Health Bill is actually repealing the old law that was enacted in 1924. Since then, things have changed in the world in that the world has moved and there are lots of challenges in the health sector today, things like HIV & AIDS which was not there in 1924, things like Cancers just to name a few and many others. We have seen medical societies short changing their clients. The Bill is going to regulate some of these challenges.
The growing incidences of droughts in Zimbabwe due to climate change – I would want to thank the President for his vision to alleviate hunger and poverty through the Presidential Grain Scheme and also the Command Agricultural Scheme. His motto of making sure that no one will die of hunger in this country is almost welcome. The scheme has been expanded not only to the vulnerable but also to everyone and not only to rural areas but also to urban areas. The impact of climate change has been felt in our country, hence the need for this House to ratify quickly the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising in their utilisation. Once tabled in this House, it is my plea to this House that it be ratified as quickly as possible.
The other scheme which I spoke about – Command Farming – my seconder will spell out how it is going to benefit the people of this country.
I would like to salute the President for proposing the Bill on the Ease to do Business Reforms with the objective of improving the local business environment that stimulates investment inflows.
As the Government embarks on the reforms, it should make sure that the plight of the people from rural areas including small enterprises and also rural farmers, for the ease of doing business should also be taken on board. I will mention as an example a small scale farmer in the rural areas of Domboshava who is producing fresh vegetables and has to come to the market sitting on top of boxes of tomatoes in a truck and we are talking of ease of doing business outside before we even deal with ease of doing business in this country. So I really applaud the President for actually looking at the reforms to compliment and support the local people.
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